The name of the pathogen in question is human papilloma virus and HPV is the abbreviation of that. There are tens if not hundreds of different strains of HPV. They typically infect mucous membranes and may cause warts, and in some (rarish) cases, cancer.

HPV infections of the genital area are usually considered to be sexually transmitted diseases, and the increased cancer risk mostly concerns women (especially cervical cancer).

human papillomavirus (HPV), any of a subgroup of viruses belonging to the family Papovaviridae that infect humans, causing warts (papillomas) and other benign tumours, as well as cancers of the genital tract and of the uterine cervix in women. They are small polygonal viruses containing circular double-stranded DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid); more than 70 distinct types of HPVs have been identified by DNA analysis.